RURAL ECONOMICS. 295 



eludes papers and recomniendatious by a commission appointed to study rural 

 problems and suggest ways and means for vitalizing social, educational, and 

 economic rural life in tbe United States. The chapter headings are arranged 

 as follows: Community cooperation — the country school and the country 

 church ; religious education as a factor in training for country life ; a coordi- 

 nating factor ; educational readjustment of country life ; how a whole com- 

 munity is being helped ; the value of a social survey to a community ; a method 

 of making a survey ; the new rural South ; religious and educational coopera- 

 tion with county and state fairs; play a socializing factor in rural communi- 

 ties; the moral and educational value of athletics; the importance of the 

 social survey ; the need of trained leadership in rural life ; home-made leaders ; 

 religious education in country life; and the opportunity of the country pastor 

 to direct social enterprises. 



Notes on agricultural conditions in Denmark, M. F. Egan ( JJ. S. Senate, 

 62. Cong., 3. Sess., Doc. 992, 19 IS, pi). 3^). — This document presents notes and 

 data on a number of the economic phases of agriculture in Denmark, special 

 attention being given to land tenure, agricultural education, cooperation, and 

 government assistance to small farmers, and agricultural laborers. 



It is noted that by acts of 1900 and 1909 the government has agreed to loan 

 a certain sum of money to any man or woman of good character and who had 

 been an agricultural laborer for 5 years or had worked on farms of a par- 

 ticular character and size as stipulated in the law. The money borrowed is 

 to be used in the purchase of land and the loan will be granted to the extent 

 of nine-tenths of the value of the farm selected up to 8,000 kroner ($2,144). 

 The rate of interest is 3 per cent i>er annum and the loan is exempt from in- 

 stallments the first 5 years, after which two-flfths of the loan pays 4 per cent 

 annually (3 per cent interest and 1 per cent installment). When two-fifths 

 of the loan has been paid the residue then pays 4 per cent annually. 



The amount of the state loans granted to small holders according to the laws 

 of 1S99, 1904, and 1909 during the years 1900 to 1911 is reported at 25,410,418 

 kroner, divided among 5,777 holdings. 



Cost of living [in Bavaria], T. W. Peters {Daily Cans, and Trade Rpts. 

 [U. S.], 16 {1913), No. 123, p. 1032).— This part of the report describes the 

 efforts made by the Bavarian Government and its constituent States and com- 

 munities to aid in reducing the cost of living through special measures. The 

 Imperial Government is shown to have reduced the tariff duty on certain 

 necessities and the Bavarian railways the freight rate by 20 per cent on meat 

 imported by communities of cooperative societies on their own account and 

 sold at or under first cost, or by butchers to others at prices fixed by the 

 authorities. 



It is noted that the government's intervention resulted in a I'eduction in the 

 usual price paid farmers for milk. 



Report of commission on the cost of living' in New Zealand {Wellington: 

 Govt., 1912, pp. CXXXVI+510). — This is the report of a commission aiipointed 

 by the dominion government in 1912 to inquire as to whether the cost of living 

 has increased in New Zealand during the past 20 years, and if so, the relative 

 increase as compared with other English-speaking countries, the items of in- 

 crease, their causes, remedies, etc. The minutes of the proceedings, evidence, 

 and findings of the commission are reported in detail. 



[Agricultural] production {So. Aust. Statis. Reg., 1911, pt. 3, pp. 1-188). — 

 Notes and statistics showing a census of land, crops, agricultural labor, agri- 

 cultural education, and various other agricultural activities in South Australia 

 for 1911 are here presented. 



